Musical instrument



July 21, 1953 STABILE 2,645,970

MUSICAL INSTRUIVIENQI:

Filed Sept. 4, 1951 FIG. 1. /3

a I n F n E e g Q @I J J L f 21L A9 L) U U k u v w L 0 Y Z; v g I M /6 5 FIG. .2. T? Z0 FIG. 3

INVENT OR PHIL IP 8745/45 5,

atented July 21, 1953 xumrizof STATES, PATENT. i OFFICE 2,645,970 MUSICAL INSTRUMENT V PhilipStabile; Brooklyn, N. r.

' Application September 4, 1951, Serial No.'2 44,925

v2 Claims. (01. 84-403) l This invention relates to improvements in manually operable musical instruments, the primary object of the invention being to provide a novel musical instrument of this kind involving 1 a sound box and a plurality of vibratory reeds v or sound bars of different lengths and thicknesses, disposed in a sequence of a musical scale, the cooperation of reeds or sound bars and sound box being such that deep, mellow tones resembling those of a bass fiddle and other tones are produceable on the instrument, and whereby the instrument is renderedespecially suitable for musical accompaniment and as a substitute for other instruments in an orchestra or band.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a practical and efficient musical instrument of the character indicated above which can be easily played after relatively little practice, and which is simple and rugged inconstruction, and can be made in an attractive and serviceable form at relatively low'cost;

Other important objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein, for purposes of illustration only, a specific embodiment of the invention is set forth in detail.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation;

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view; and

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 3--3 of Figure 2.

Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein like numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, the illustrated musical instrument comprises a preferably rectangular, longitudinally elongated, hollow sound box 5 of preferably rectangular cross-section, made of plywood or other suitably resonant material, and can consist of an imperforate back wall 6, a front wal1 1 of the same dimensions as the back wall, left and right-hand side walls 8 and 9, respectively, and top and bottom walls I0 and II, respectively. The end walls and top and bottom walls are preferably of larger and more rigid cross-section than the back and front walls, as shown, and metal corner plates l2 bound the corners of the sound box for reinforcing and decorating the same. The back and front walls 6 and 1, respectively, are secured in suitable manner to the edges of the top, bottom and end walls H), II, 8 and 9, respectively. A carrying and holding handle I 3 is placed longitudinally on the top wall 10 about midway between the side and end edges of the top wall, for steadying the instrument while being played.

A pair of wooden 'or other suitable material mounting bars I4 and M of substantially the same length as the sound box 5, and preferably of rectangular cross section, are superimposed and are positioned longitudinally along the outer side of the front wall I of the sound box'in a position about two-thirds of the distance downwardly from the upper edge l5 of the front wall I and parallel thereto and to-the lower edge [6 of the front wall I, the mounting bars l4 and [4 being secured in place preferably by bolts. I1 traversing the bars l4 and I4 and the front wall! and another similar bar l1 engaging the inner side of the Wall 1, the bolts having heads I8 engaging the outer side of the first bar I 4, and having thumb or Wing nuts I9 threaded thereon to engage the under side of the third bar IT. The

bolts 17 are spaced at substantially equal intervals along the bars M, M and I'V'for holdingthe bars- 14' and f4" inadjustable clamping engagement with the sound bars or reeds 20.

The reeds 28 are in the form of fiat, preferably steel, bars having parallel, longitudinal sides 2i and rounded' ends 22, the bars beingsubstantially uniformly bowed between their ends and throughout their length. While twelve reeds 'or sound bars 20 are shown in the drawings, a greater or a lesser number thereof may be employed to proyide different tone ranges and portions of one or more musical scales. The tonal characters or capacities of the various reeds 29 are determined by their lengths or by both their length and their thickness, and the tonally' graduated reeds are arranged in the sequence along the sound box 5 in which they occur in the corresponding musical scale or scales.

The reeds 20 are positioned between the mounting bars l4 and I4 at right angles thereto, with their convex surfaces engaging the outer surface of the bar M at points intermediate the ends of the reeds, so that the end portions of the reeds curve away from and are out of contact with both the bars l4 and I4 and the front wall I. As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the lower ends of the reeds 20 are aligned with each other on a line parallel with the lower edge iii of the front wall I, while their upper ends are spaced downwardly from the upper edge l5 of the front wall 1 in accordance with their various lengths. Because of this arrangement of the reeds 20, the upper ends of the longer reeds reach farther away from the front surface of the front wall I, as shown in Figure 3. Except for the reeds at the opposite ends of the sound box 5, it is preferred to have one of the bolts l1 between each pair of reeds 20.

The front wall 1 of the sound box 5 is provided with a relatively large, preferably round, sound hole 23 which is centered between the opposite ends of the sound box and centered between the mounting bars 14 and I4 and the upper edge l5 of the front wall I. Smaller round sound holes 24 and 25 are positioned between the ends of the sound box and the large sound hole 2| and have their lower edges approximately aligned with the lower edge of the large sound hole 23.

The instrument is tuned by tightening or loosening the bolts ll as may be required to establish the desired tone intervals between the reeds.

The instrument is played by plucking the upper ends of the reeds 20 with the fingers or thumb, so as to cause desired ones of the reeds to vibrate with the desired amplitude for producing the desired tones and desired loudness or intensity thereof.

It is to be understood that various changes in the form, composition and relative arrangement of the components of the invention set forth herein are contemplated as within the scope of the subjoined claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a musical instrument, a sound box having a wall formed with sound opening means opening into the box, a first bar overlying and extending longitudinally of said wall and at one side of said sound opening means, said first bar being laterally spaced from opposite side edges of said wall, a second bar extending along and overlying said first bar, adjustable clamping elements extending through said first and second bars and securably connected with said wall, said clamping elements being positioned at longitudinally spaced intervals along said first and second bars, and elongated vibratory reeds positioned between and extending crosswise of said first and second bars at points in laterally spaced relation to clamping elements, said reeds having free ends bowed away from said wall and out of contact therewith, said reeds having minor intermediate portions engaged between said first and second bars, said clamping elements being ad- 4 justed to clamp the reeds between said first and second bars.

2. In a musical instrument, a sound box having a wall formed with sound opening means opening into the box, a first bar overlying and extending longitudinally of said wall and at one side of said sound opening means, said first bar being laterally spaced from opposite side edges of said wall, a second bar extending along and overlying said first bar, adjustable clamping elements extending through said first and second bars and securably connected to said wall, said clamping elements being positioned at longitudinally spaced intervals along said first and second bars, and elongated vibratory reeds positioned between and extending crosswise of said first and second bars at points in laterally spaced relation to clamping elements, said reeds having free ends bowed away from said wall and out of contact therewith, said reeds having minor intermediate portions engaged between said first and second bars, said clamping elements being adjusted to clamp the reeds between said first and second bars, said clamping elements consisting of bolts having shanks and heads, the shanks being extended through said first and second bars and through said wall, with the heads engaging said second bar, and nuts threaded on said shanks and engaging a portion on the side of said wall remote from said first and second bars, said clamping elements being individually adjustable to vary the pitch of reeds.

PHILIP STABILE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,763,518 Haweis June 10, 1930 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 6,483 Great Britain Oct. '7, 1833 135,810 Great Britain Dec 4, 1919 287,802 Great Britain Mar. 29, 1928 

